[Ralphie Halves]

Mine off the top of my head...

#1 - Meyer, Ohio State - Still the gold standard. Have him ahead of Saban, because he's shown he can do more with less. Probably not fair to Saban, because Saban has never really had to work with less, but Meyer out-schemes everyone he plays against, and is greatness all around.

#2 - Saban, Alabama - I'm not sure anybody can have him outside their top 3. Does so many things right, and the best halftime adjustment coach I've ever seen. I gained a lot of respect for him when those 4 players robbed a kid and took his laptop, and Saban kicked them off the team for good. A couple of those guys were elite talents too, one went pro.

#3 - Petrino - Louisville - Everything this guy does (on the NCAA football field at least) turns to gold. I've seen a big enough sample size now. You can't deny it.

#4 - Patterson, TCU - So good. Takes a very small school with mid-tier funding and alumni support, and turns them into a perennial powerhouse. It's no accident.

#5 - Fisher, FSU - Scary good. Is also able to keep a program in line where they never used to be able to. Wins the state of Florida in recruiting every year too.

#6 - Peterson, Washington - I no doubt have him higher than you do, but the Washington Freakin Huskies are top 10 again, and he did it in a very short amount of time. Took Boise from a nice story to world-beaters. Washington stole one here. He's plus-plus in every category.

#7 - McElwain, Florida - Hard not to be impressed what he's done at a school that had fallen off the map quick. Came in a fixed an offense that couldn't do anything into one you have to game plan for. People were lining up to play the Gators, now nobody wants to play the Gators.

#8 - Swinney, Clemson - Comes off as a doofus, but you can't deny what he's done. Made Clemson a monster program, and got them to play defense. Probably should be higher.

#9 - Dantonio, MichSt - Plays a boring, pro-style game, is in a super tough recruiting battleground, and just continues to get it done. Gangster of a coach.

#10 - Shaw, Stanford - Everyone thought there would be a dropoff after Harbaugh left, but after one rebuilding season, Stanford is right back at the top again, with brutal recruiting standards. They will never have the overall talent to not drop a game here and there, but what he's built and how he silently out-coaches people is remarkable.

#11 - Balliff, Rice - My small school, punches-way-above-his-weight selection. Rice University is nothing but a school with Stanford-level recruiting standards, and about 7000 kids overall, mostly Asian. Balliff waltzes in and goes 3-1 in bowl games. Just taking this team to a bowl game is a miracle. Can't believe he's not on more people's radars come hiring time. I know they're bad this year, but body of work really impresses.

#12 - Harbaugh, Michigan - Tough to rank since he's been gone, but killing it right away with Michigan and creating a winning culture there again right off the bat. He knows his shit. Too hard to put 12 coaches above him right now.

Honorable mentions - Whittingham, Freeze, McIntyre, Herman, whoever is at North Dakota State, Stoops, Fleck, Satterfield

If you're bored like me right now, put your top 12 up!

[Electrons]

No offense Ralphie---but McElwain?

He coaches in a state where recruiting is as easy as it gets at that level, he has all the support and infrastructure any coach could hope for, and he hasn't won dick yet. Nothing.

You include Balliff at Rice, over a guy like Niamatalolo @ Navy--who can't even offer football scholarships?

Saban/Meyer are 1A and 1B.

After that....it gets jumbled.

And you have Shaw ahead of Harbaugh---and it was Shaw who inherited the program Harbaugh built from shit at Stanford?

Huh?

Dantonio over Stoops?

Stoops is a Top 10 coach on anyone's list.

[Ralphie Halves]

No offense Ralphie---but McElwain?

He coaches in a state where recruiting is as easy as it gets at that level, he has all the support and infrastructure any coach could hope for, and he hasn't won dick yet. Nothing.

You include Balliff at Rice, over a guy like Niamatalolo @ Navy--who can't even offer football scholarships?

Saban/Meyer are 1A and 1B.

After that....it gets jumbled.

And you have Shaw ahead of Harbaugh---and it was Shaw who inherited the program Harbaugh built from shit at Stanford?

Huh?

Dantonio over Stoops?

Stoops is a Top 10 coach on anyone's list.

Put your own list up, Electrons. That's the fun part!

Stoops has fallen off to me. Struggles when confronted with a more modern offensive or defensive scheme. Not good going forward.

Harbaugh like I said doesn't get a lifetime achievement award from me -- it' all about what he's doing when he's here. He could definitely be higher, but really just 3 games into his new start.

And I honestly forgot about Niamatalolo. Good choice.

[JayDr3am]

too early for les miles?

[jtoler]

I agree with quite a bit, but nobody is afraid of Florida's offense, they played cupcakes until playing Tennessee. Id prob have D'Antonio a little higher on my list if I had one, could never make one personally because I feel the coordinators are more important on alot of these teams.

[Electrons]

Put your own list up, Electrons. That's the fun part!

Stoops has fallen off to me. Struggles when confronted with a more modern offensive or defensive scheme. Not good going forward.

Harbaugh like I said doesn't get a lifetime achievement award from me -- it' all about what he's doing when he's here. He could definitely be higher, but really just 3 games into his new start.

And I honestly forgot about Niamatalolo. Good choice.

Harbaugh has coached at Michigan, as long as McElwain has been at Florida.

Harbaugh took over a horrid Stanford program, took them to the Pac-12 title, took the 49ers to the Super Bowl, and now has Michigan in top 5.

McElwain has a New Mexico Bowl win.

And you rank McElwain and not Harbaugh.

Okay.

[Ralphie Halves]

I forgot about Harbaugh last year, my bad. Still remembering the Hoke debacle. So he's higher now. Happy?

[Schweino]

Fisher with Pruitt was amazing. Fisher with Kelly has been a debacle Nole fan here.

[Ralphie Halves]

Part of being a great head coach IMO is bringing on those great assistants and striking a balance between letting them do what they do, and reeling them in enough to where they don't take over the team. Knowing when to let them go and knowing how to retain them is a skill too. I don't like the idea that these coaches were only ever good because they had good assistants. The really good ones are able to stay on top regardless of who works for them. With Fisher, we'll see I guess. The cream is going to rise to the top real soon here.

[Electrons]

I forgot about Harbaugh last year, my bad. Still remembering the Hoke debacle. So he's higher now. Happy?

Okay, give me your case for McElwain being ranked higher than Harbaugh.

Or Stoops.

What exactly has McElwain done?

[Memento]

Couple guys not listed: Richt, Briles, and Cutcliffe.

[Electrons]

Couple guys not listed: Richt, Briles, and Cutcliffe.

Briles is not coaching any longer.

[BigdaddyQH]

Petrino at #3 is ridiculous. His record at Louisville is 21-9 since they hired him back. He is 1-2 against Florida State and 0-2 against Clemson. He is having a very good season this year, but one year does NOT make anyone a great Head Coach. Meyer or Saban lose 9 games in two years and they are looking for new employment.

Petersen at #6 may be a worse pick than Petrino at #3. His is 19-12 since joining UDub. His biggest non-con win has come against Illinois or Rutgers, take your choice. He is 0-fer against both Oregon and Stanford, not to mention Arizona State. And you rank him over Stanford's Shaw, who has defeated him twice.

McElwain at #7 is another on your list of dreams. What happened last week? Perhaps one of the worst coaching jobs ever against Tennessee. Up 21-3 at the half and this alleged defensive powerhouse gives up 5 TD's in 30 minutes. Nice. His 13-5 record is nothing to brag about. He can't beat the tough teams.

Ralphie, you are better than that list indicates. Not your best effort by far.

[Memento]

Briles is not coaching any longer.

Season's not over....guy will be back sooner than you think.

[Electrons]

Season's not over....guy will be back sooner than you think.

Well, he sure as hell isn't coaching THIS year.

[Buffalo Nickle]

The best coach is Bill Snyder.

Harbaugh might be second.

Recruiting is a lot more important than coaching.

Patterson is obviously a great coach. He changes guys positions and turns lesser recruited players into terrific players at new positions.

Mendenhall has done a lot with less.

Anderson's job at Utah State puts him up there.

Johnston at GT.

The Navy guy.

Calhoun at AF.

Peterson.

Dantonio.

Saban

Meyer.

If you paid the players and wanted a good coach, you'd probably win more games with those guys.

[Electrons]

The best coach is Bill Snyder.

Harbaugh might be second.

Recruiting is a lot more important than coaching.

Patterson is obviously a great coach. He changes guys positions and turns lesser recruited players into terrific players at new positions.

Mendenhall has done a lot with less.

Anderson's job at Utah State puts him up there.

Johnston at GT.

The Navy guy.

Calhoun at AF.

Peterson.

Dantonio.

Saban

Meyer.

If you paid the players and wanted a good coach, you'd probably win more games with those guys.

Not including Saban or Meyer in your top 2?

Seriously?

[Buffalo Nickle]

Seriously. There is no coach better than Bill Snyder. Saban and Meyer can outrecruit him but then Bill has never tried recruiting at a premier program so we don't know that for sure.

Harbaugh turned around Stanford, turned around the SF 49ers and turned around Michigan in Year 1. The guy can coach.

Saban and Meyer are very good. But if everybody else paid as much as they do, they would be a lot less smart.

Mine were not in any particular order except the first two. Don't think anybody can outcoach Snyder or Harbaugh.

[Electrons]

Seriously. There is no coach better than Bill Snyder. Saban and Meyer can outrecruit him but then Bill has never tried recruiting at a premier program so we don't know that for sure.

Harbaugh turned around Stanford, turned around the SF 49ers and turned around Michigan in Year 1. The guy can coach.

Saban and Meyer are very good. But if everybody else paid as much as they do, they would be a lot less smart.

Mine were not in any particular order except the first two. Don't think anybody can outcoach Snyder or Harbaugh.

Meyer won at Bowling Green (17-6)
Meyer won at Utah (22-2)
Meyer won at Florida (65-15)
Meyer won at Ohio State (53-4).

Meyer won at every level, with every type of recruit.

15 years coaching, 11 years double digit wins.

He won in the MAC, the Mountain West, the SEC, The Big 10.

EVERY LEVEL.

That's not recruiting....that's coaching.

[Buffalo Nickle]

Meyer won at Bowling Green (17-6)
Meyer won at Utah (22-2)
Meyer won at Florida (65-15)
Meyer won at Ohio State (53-4).

Meyer won at every level, with every type of recruit.

15 years coaching, 11 years double digit wins.

He won in the MAC, the Mountain West, the SEC, The Big 10.

EVERY LEVEL.

That's not recruiting....that's coaching.

I said he was very good. Not better than Snyder or Harbaugh. Sorry. Maybe as good. You can make your own list.

[Ralphie Halves]

We have 2 factions here: The ones that put themselves out there and make a list, and the ones that sit there and throw rocks at it. It's fun to see how differently people rate coaches here.

[Electrons]

Fine.

I'll come up with a Top 12.

And I'm silly--- I'll use actual coaching success to rank them.

1. Saban. The many has won more NC's than any coach in the modern era. He's won a NC at 2 different school---and for those that say it's about recruiting...well guess what, recruiting's part of the job...and not only does Saban recruit better than everyone, he gets every ounce of talent out of his kids.

1B. Meyer isn't 2nd, he's just 1B. He won EVERYWHERE he's been----Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State.

The rest is just a pool of runners up.

Rank them any way you wish....

Fisher, Stoops, Patterson, Harbaugh, Swinney, Dantonio, Peterson, and Petrino.

[Buffalo Nickle]

Fine.

I'll come up with a Top 12.

And I'm silly--- I'll use actual coaching success to rank them.

1. Saban. The many has won more NC's than any coach in the modern era. He's won a NC at 2 different school---and for those that say it's about recruiting...well guess what, recruiting's part of the job...and not only does Saban recruit better than everyone, he gets every ounce of talent out of his kids.

1B. Meyer isn't 2nd, he's just 1B. He won EVERYWHERE he's been----Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State.

The rest is just a pool of runners up.

Rank them any way you wish....

Fisher, Stoops, Patterson, Harbaugh, Swinney, Dantonio, Peterson, and Petrino.

You rate Bill Snyder not even in the Top 12? A guy that is over 60% ATS over the last five years and has clobbered the spread for his entire career and rate him below Jimbo Fisher whose teams lay down almost every week? Seriously?

I forgot David Cutcliffe. He's definitely one of the best.

[Electrons]

You rate Bill Snyder not even in the Top 12? A guy that is over 60% ATS over the last five years and has clobbered the spread for his entire career and rate him below Jimbo Fisher whose teams lay down almost every week? Seriously?

I forgot David Cutcliffe. He's definitely one of the best.

The list is current top 12.

Bill Snyder is 25-17 since the end of the 2012 season.

That's not getting it done.

If this list was back in 2004...Snyder would be Top 5.

But he's regressed.

Same with Bob Stoops, Les Miles---Stoops was Top 3 7-8 years ago. Miles was Top 10.

[wildcatpicks]

K-State won the big 12 in 2012 and were 1 game away from playing for a Nation Title. With the highest recruit on the team as a Rivals 3 star. Thats incredible coaching

[Electrons]

K-State won the big 12 in 2012 and were 1 game away from playing for a Nation Title. With the highest recruit on the team as a Rivals 3 star. Thats incredible coaching

And since then (4 years ago)?

25-17.

No bowl wins.

4 years ago Les Miles was a year removed from playing for the National Championship---today he is unemployed.

A lot changes in 4 years.

[daneblazer]

Saban
Meyer
Fisher
Swinney
Patterson
Dantonio
Shaw



Then it gets muddy

i still think Richt & Stoops are good coaches. Both of their recruiting & coachinh has taken a hit lately...both need/needed a change of scenery

David Cutliff

Harbaugh

Petrino

...could really move around the top 5-20 and have a valid argument

I think in 2-3 years Smart & McElwain will be on the list

[Ralphie Halves]

Saban
Meyer
Fisher
Swinney
Patterson
Dantonio
Shaw



Then it gets muddy

i still think Richt & Stoops are good coaches. Both of their recruiting & coachinh has taken a hit lately...both need/needed a change of scenery

David Cutliff

Harbaugh

Petrino

...could really move around the top 5-20 and have a valid argument

I think in 2-3 years Smart & McElwain will be on the list

My beef with Richt is that he always seemed to have elite level talent, but never got real consistency out of them. They would play just flat out bad for at least two games out of the season. He always seemed to be just good enough to keep his job, at least for his last 5 years at UGA, but never more than that.

Like the Cutcliffe pick though. Could go almost anywhere else, but stayed at the toughest school to recruit in the ACC and made them relevant, and at times world beaters.

My 2-3 years guy would be Brian Harsin at Boise. He'll be an in-demand name soon I think.

[Shark]

I agree with most of your list, but i would take McElwain out and put Herman in. That guy and his staff have done a tremendous job there. I would also flip Harbaugh and Shaw. Shaw is so unbelievably conservative.

[Buffalo Nickle]

The list is current top 12.

Bill Snyder is 25-17 since the end of the 2012 season.

That's not getting it done.

If this list was back in 2004...Snyder would be Top 5.

But he's regressed.

Same with Bob Stoops, Les Miles---Stoops was Top 3 7-8 years ago. Miles was Top 10.

Bill Snyder 69% ATS last four years.

[Electrons]

Bill Snyder 69% ATS last four years.

Yeah, here's the part----it's ATS.

No one has won a national championship based on their ATS record.

George O'Leary was 73-52 ATS.

He also started last year 0-8 straight up and was shitcanned.

[Buffalo Nickle]

Yeah, here's the part----it's ATS.

No one has won a national championship based on their ATS record.

George O'Leary was 73-52 ATS.

He also started last year 0-8 straight up and was shitcanned.

This is true. You need to be a great recruiter to win national championships which is why a lousy coach like Jimbo has success despite a 40% ATS over the past four years. Outcoaching them does not get it done.